If You Need A Friend
by Twigirl12
Summary: Bella, and her mother Esme, try to escape their past by moving to Buffalo. When Esme falls head over heals for Carlisle, the father of Edward and Alice, Bella gets to live with her best friend, Alice, but is also forced to live with Edward, the popular, arrogant, hockey star that goes through women faster than Alice finds a new top. Will Bella be able to stand it?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, this is a new story, and I hope you like it :)**

September 4, 2009

"Mom, please don't make me do this," I cried indignantly as my mom pulled up to my new school. I didn't do well with meeting new people. Truthfully, I didn't do well with anyone, barely talking at all unless it was to my mother. Starting seventh grade at a new school was definitely not going to help. The people back in Phoenix at least knew I was a freak from an early age, and had given up on me. I didn't want to repeat the process. "Why did we have to move?" I continued, angry tears starting to spill onto my cheeks. Esme sighed, wiping the tears off my face. I always thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, but these past few years had been hard for the both of us, and the strain could be clearly seen on her face. Her caramel colored hair fell in waves around her pure face and hazel eyes.

"Bella, you know why," she replied, letting go of my face to grab my backpack. I did know, but it was all so unfair. "Now go to school, and try to at least make an effort to make some friends." I pouted, but nodded, wiping the tears away, knowing I would have to make my first appearance with tear stained cheeks. The sooner they accepted I was an outcast, the sooner I could go to moving through the routines, invisible to everyone. I only hoped I wouldn't be made fun of for it.

I hadn't always been this way. I used to have friends. A lot of friends. I was forced to grow up too quickly. My childhood had been snatched from me by unforgiving hands, and moving to Buffalo was my mother's way of trying to make a new start. Esme and I both hated the snow, so moving to Buffalo was probably not the best idea, but it was the only opportunity presented to us, and we just needed to get as far away from Phoenix as we could.

I slumped out of the car, my schedule in my hand, and made my way to admissions. Esme had decided to use all her money to send me to a private school, hoping that the smaller class sizes and stricter teachers would make it harder for me to maintain my status of invisibility. The school in Phoenix had 350 students in my sixth grade class, now I would be joining a seventh grade class of 46. Well, now 47. Great. I knew Esme just wanted me to be happy, and it killed me that I couldn't fulfill her wish. The issue was not that I was socially inept, I just didn't do well with kids.

Benton School did have it merits though. I couldn't deny that the school was gorgeous. It looked like a mini college campus, with five different brick buildings. I had never gone to a school where you walked outside between classes. The weather was nice and hot now, but I dreaded the idea of walking outside in the snow during the winter months. Three of the buildings were in a semi-circle around a large quad where high schoolers would lay out during the hot days, and the center building had a large clock tower that rung eight strokes, reminding me that school was about to start. I sighed, uncomfortable in my uniform that I would have to wear for the next two years (the high school students had to look presentable, but no uniform).

I walked with my head down to the front office, trying to ignore the looks I got from the students already attending Benton. I walked up to the front desk and a woman with a kind face smiled at me. "You must be Isabella Swan," she said, with an expectant face.

"Bella," I corrected with a weak smile.

"Nice to meet you Bella. I am Ms. Cope, and if you need anything you just have to ask. I see that you already have your schedule, and I thought it would be a good idea for you to shadow someone in order for you to get assimilated to life here at Benton. That being said, I would like you to meet Alice. You two share the same classes." A tiny girl I hadn't noticed sprung up from her chair beside the desk, and greeted me with a large smile. She had short brown hair that sprung out in all different directions, but in a way that suited her. She was very beautiful, and had large green eyes that seemed genuinely glad to meet me. I didn't like the idea of shadowing someone, they would be forced to talk with me, and I would be forced to reply, but something about Alice made me think that she wouldn't be too bad.

"Hi, I'm Alice," she said in a sweet voice, but a loud one, almost as if she was making up for her small stature by demanding attention. She danced over to me with a gleaming smile. Her enthusiasm seemed to be vibrating off her body, which was almost a head shorter than me. And I thought I was short… I surprised myself by giving her a real smile. I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled for real. "It's really nice to meet you. I think you are really going to like Benton."

"Nice to meet you too," I replied in a small voice. She motioned for me to follow her and she chatted about the campus and the students as we walked to the lockers. She showed me my locker, already stacked with books, which I packed into my backpack. Multiple people came to chat with me and Alice, and I said as little as possible, keeping my eyes down.

"So why did you move here?" Alice asked as we sat down in our first period English class. I immediately became uncomfortable, fidgeting with my books as I searched for an answer.

"Um, my mother was offered a job here," I said meekly. It wasn't a lie, technically. I was a terrible liar, and I'm sure Alice could tell I wasn't telling her the whole truth, but she decided to let it pass, which made me like her infinitely more.

"So what does she do then?" Alice replied.

"She designs houses."

"Ooooo, really? I want to be a designer when I grow up. Of clothes though, not houses. But that is so cool! I can't believe it," Alice said, bouncing in her seat. "Although, its tough to look good here since we have a uniform. All I can really do is accessorize. . ." She sighed, and I let out a little chuckle. Alice was so untouched by the real world, and I just wished that I could be like her, worrying about accessories.

We stopped talking as the teacher, Ms. Johnson, started talking, welcoming us all to her class. About ten minutes into class, two boys walked in, laughing about something, and went to their seats which happened to behind Alice and I. One was tall and muscular with dark curly hair, and the other was slightly shorter, but still tall, with a perfect face and bronze hair. He was the most attractive person I had ever seen, and something about the way he sat as if he had no cares made me think that he knew it too. Something about him looked familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on it.

"This is the first day, so there will be no repercussions, but being late to class and making such a rude entrance is not tolerated here," Ms. Johnson said in a firm tone.

"Sorry, Ma'am, won't happen again," He said, with an undertone of sarcasm, his face holding a smirk. Ms. Johnson let it slide, but gave them a disapproving look.

"That's my twin brother, Edward," Alice said, pointing to beautiful one with bronze hair, "and the other one is Emmett, his best friend." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "They are so annoying. . ." I didn't know how to reply, so I just nodded, realizing that Edward had looked familiar because he looked like Alice. He seemed like the type of person I should probably avoid; the type of person that would make fun of me.

Edward and Emmett talked through the class. Edward tapped on Alice's shoulder, and when she ignored him, he lightly through a pencil at her, and she turned around in a fury, threatening to get him after school. Edward held both hands up in surrender, but his easy smile held an heir of arrogance. Needless to say, by the end of the class, I disliked him very much.

After English, Alice and I headed to math, which Edward was not in, thankfully. There, Alice introduced me to her friend Rosalie. Rosalie was gorgeous, with blonde, wavy hair, and piercing blue eyes. I could tell why she and Alice were friends. Rosalie was very engaging like Alice, and seemed to genuinely want to talk to me.

As the day wore on, I had a better feeling about Buffalo, and although I had planned on not making any friends, it seemed Alice and Rosalie might be an exception.

**Please review and tell me what you think! I want to know if I should keep writing this or not...**

**So if you think I should REVIEW please. Alright well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter;)**

***AB**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to the people that reviewed! I wouldn't have written this second chapter without your support! You guys rock. **

**Anyways, this is five years after Bella moves to Buffalo (the last chapter was just setting the scene).**

**I hope you guys enjoy it:)**

_5 years later_

December 31, 2013 – New Years Eve

"Bella, come on!" Alice squealed, pulling at my arm, trying to force me out the door, but I refused to move, still staring at myself in the mirror. "You look good, let's go!"

"No, I don't look good, I look like. . ." I took a moment, taking in the short, tight, backless dress, "I look like a prostitute," I finished, frowning at my reflection.

"Oh, and I suppose you think I look like a prostitute too?" Alice asked with her hands on her hips. I knew she wasn't really offended, she just wanted me to wear the dress. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Come on, Alice. You can pull off the short dress thing, but I just look like an awkward weirdo," even now I was holding the dress in place, worried that it would come popping up on its own. Alice, Rosalie, and I were in Alice's large room, trying on dresses for the New Years Eve Party at Mike's house.

Alice lived in this big, old white house with her brother Edward and father Carlisle. It was absolutely beautiful. It looked like something taken out of an old movie. They had a long driveway leading up to the house and an amazing pool out back. Carlisle made a lot of money being one of the most prominent surgeons in Buffalo, and the inside of the house was absolutely beautiful with its tile floors and granite counters.

"What about this one?" Rosalie said, jumping out of the closet holding a dark purple fit and flare dress that was tight on the top until my waist (a little low cut for my taste) and then flared out on the bottom. It still seemed short, but I knew I could only argue so much so I nodded, pulling it on. I put on some black flats, not trusting myself in high heels.

I was doing better these days. Alice and Rose were the only ones who knew about my past, and they still accepted me whole heartedly. Honestly, they had really helped me through rough times when I thought I could never be truly happy. I was getting there though, slowly but surely. I was seeing things less and less, but sometimes I would still have flashbacks that would knock the wind out of me, taking me back through painful memories, sometimes ending in vomiting or black outs when it was really bad.

"Alright, let's go," I said finally after Alice forced me into letting her do my makeup. I was already looking forward to going home. Loud crowded spaces were not really my thing.

We headed down the stairs to see Tanya and Edward making out on the couch.

"Oh, ew, gross. Couldn't you guys do that in Edward's room or something?" Alice gagged as we entered the living room. They broke apart, Edward glaring at us.

"Sorry, it's just so much more fun on the couch," Edward said, giving Alice a smirk. Alice ignored this.

"Tanya." Alice acknowledged, eyeing her dress that barely covered her butt and her bad spray tan, "You look . . . nice."

"Oh, sorry I can't say the same thing about you," Tanya said, not bothering to move from her position of straddling Edward. Ugh, they were disgusting.

"Oh, and look, she's being as pleasant as always. It's a good thing you got that pretty little nose job so men can ignore your personality when searching for a single attractive quality," Alice said sarcastically, giving her a sweet smile as we walked out the door. I was on the verge of laughing, but I stopped myself, not wanting to get on Tanya's radar. Alice could handle Tanya, but me on the other hand? Not so sure. "Oh my God, I don't understand Edward at all," Alice groaned as we got in the car. "I can't stand that girl. I want to rip out those ugly extensions in her hair so badly." At this Rosalie and I giggled, and Alice didn't show any signs that she was kidding. "You don't understand how annoying it is having her around all the time," Alice sighed as we drove to Mike's in Alice's yellow Porsche.

"Why would Edward date Tanya?" Rosalie asked, disgusted. I had to agree. Tanya was the scum of the Earth.

"Well, I have my theories. . ." Alice trailed off, lost in her thoughts. I raised my eyebrows, and Alice seemed to be deliberating. "Edward and my mom were super close, you know? And when she left, it tore Edward apart. Anyway, that's just why I think he's weird with women," Alice shrugged, keeping her eyes on the road. She acted like it was no big deal, but I knew it hurt her to see her brother this way. Apparently he hadn't always been. Alice and Edward used to be really close when they were younger, but everything changed when their mother ran off with some guy and never contacted them again. Alice barely ever talked about her mother, although I could tell she thought about her a lot.

My regard for Edward grew softer, and I pitied him, but I couldn't share the same sadness that Alice had since I hadn't known him before his mom left. Alice told me she left when Alice and Edward were ten, so two years before I met them. I couldn't imagine a different Edward though. Looking at him sometimes confused me because he had the face of an angel, but as soon as he said something vulgar or rude, I would be reminded of his true nature.

Edward's best friend, Emmett, seemed to have matured with age, unlike Edward, and Edward and Emmett were both stars of the Benton School hockey team. Edward was also a straight A student, although few people actually knew this about him. A well-rounded boy, one would think. Girls at school fell all over Edward even though he treated them like crap. _I will never be one of those girls_, I solemnly swore to myself. Edward seriously irked me, from his perfect stupid bronze hair to his annoyingly beautiful piercing green eyes, and his perfect complexion. One could not have created a human more attractive, and it was all spoiled due to his personality. What a waste. He was a hockey boy, and at Benton school, they hockey boys were basically a cult. They seemed to run the school. The girls were always all over them. Disgusting.

We finally arrived to Mike's house, and I was relieved to be distracted from my thoughts. I realized my hands were in tight fists, and I stretched them out as we got out of the car. I immediately regretted coming as soon as we walked in. The room was hot and everyone was sweaty. The stench of beer filled the small house and the music pounded through the room, vibrating the walls.

Mike came up to us as soon as we arrived. "Bella! I'm so glad you could make it!" He called to me, slightly slurring his words. I could tell he was on his way to being drunk. I realized a while back that Mike had a crush on me, but dating him had never even been a possibility to me. I smiled politely to him, thanking him for inviting us. "Do you want a drink? I'm going to get you a drink," He said, scurrying off without waiting for a response. I sighed and followed Alice and Rose to the living room. As we walked through the crowd, we saw multiple people hooking up in corners.

"Oh my God, did you just see Jillian and Zac hooking up? Never thought I would see the day when that happened!" Alice said, giggling.

"Come on ladies, I want to dance!" Rose declared, grabbing our hands and pulling Alice and I to the center of the living room where everyone was dancing. We worked as a group, blocking men away when one would try to grind on one of us. I was surprised at how much fun I was having, letting myself let loose felt good.

"I wish there were nice guys in our class," Alice said to me, yelling over the music.

"You know my cousin Jasper is coming to spend the summer with my mom and I, he's really nice, I could introduce you," I offered, yelling back. She smiled and nodded, moving to the beat of the thumping music. "I'm going to get something to drink!" I yelled at Alice and Rosalie.

"What?" Rosalie screamed back, not hearing me over the base that pulsated through the house like a heartbeat.

"I'M GOING TO GET A DRINK," I yelled louder.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Alice called back, and I shook my head.

"I'll be fine!" I called, slowing my dancing and walked towards the kitchen. I was so hot and my throat felt parched. I searched for a cup that wasn't already filled with some unknown alcoholic substance and filled up a glass of tap water, quickly drinking it down. The kitchen was crowded, and I started feeling slightly claustrophobic with all the yelling and noise. I decided to go outside for some fresh air and started heading for the door when Mike intercepted me.

"Bella. . ." He slurred, putting both hands on my shoulders, leaning heavily on me, "You look. . ." he started, his eyes seeming to be far away as he momentarily forgot what he was saying, "you look. . . really. . .pretty," he finished. It was difficult to understand him as his drunkenness had made him almost incomprehensible. His hands grabbed me tighter, pulling me towards him and his breath reeked of alcohol. My heartbeat picked up, and all I could understand was that I needed to get outside. Mike moved one hand to the back of my head, forcefully pulling it towards him in an attempt to kiss me, and I pushed him away, my heart thudding in my ears. I staggered away from him, feeling memories popping up, making me nautious.

Oh no. This couldn't be happening to me now. Stop. STOP. I grabbed my head, running outside as flashes came back to me. I let out a little whimper, pushing my way through the crowd. I needed to get outside. I tried to breath. _Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off_ I commanded myself, but it was no use. The images that I fought so hard to suppress were suddenly flooding my brain. I finally made it to the door and ran out onto the street, breathing heavily. Closing my eyes as the horrible pictures filled my mind. Stop. Stop. Stop._ "I love you Bella, you know that right?"_

"BELLA!" I heard someone shriek and I looked up to see two bright lights headed straight for me. I was stuck in place, a deer in headlights. I felt like I was stuck in jello, and I watched in horror as the car came barreling towards me in the dark night. I heard the car skid, and then a thump, and then nothing.

**Oh my, I left a little cliff hanger there for you guys!**

**So what did you think? What do you think will happen? Please REVIEW, I will love you forever if you do.**

**Alright, peace out darlings. XOXO**

***AB**


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